Two Events, One Week, Zero Sleep: Pain in the Arts Survives TEDx, Pride, and a Whole Lot of Theatre
Some weeks in Welsh arts feel busy. This one felt like a logistical experiment designed to test the limits of human endurance. In the latest episode of Pain in the Arts, broadcaster Chris J Birch and artist‑writer‑editor Jak Rhys‑Birch unpack a week that included TEDxButeStreet, Barry Pride, Rocky Horror, Waitress, VR art, and a mysterious Fio performance that Jak still doesn’t understand because Chris refuses to tell him anything.
It’s chaotic, heartfelt, funny, and deeply rooted in the creative life of Wales — exactly what listeners expect from the podcast.
TEDxButeStreet: Welsh Voices on a Global Stage
The week began with TEDxButeStreet, held at the Senedd — a venue that feels both symbolic and subversive. The seat of Welsh democracy became the backdrop for stories of creativity, identity, neurodiversity, community, and lived experience.
Chris and Jak, both organisers of the event, had the rare privilege of hearing many of the talks long before the audience did. But nothing compares to seeing them delivered live.
Jak mentored several speakers this year, including Caitlin Flood‑Molyneux, whose talk on art, wellness and flow state resonated deeply. Watching speakers — many of whom had never stepped on a stage before — settle into their rhythm and deliver world‑class talks was, in Jak’s words, “like watching someone step into their own power.”
One of the standout moments came from Andrew Jenkins, whose deeply personal story brought the room to silence. Long‑time listeners will remember Andrew from his early appearance on the podcast — seeing him now on a TEDx stage felt like a full‑circle moment.
TEDxButeStreet’s mission is clear: Welsh stories deserve international reach. Welsh creatives deserve global platforms.
And this year, they delivered.
Barry Pride: A Grassroots Miracle
Just two days after TEDx, the pair were in Barry setting up gazebos, liaising with event managers, and preparing for Barry Pride — a free, volunteer‑run Pride event that almost didn’t happen.
After several trustees stepped down last year, the remaining three board members — Janine, Lucy and Andy — were left with a monumental task: deliver a full Pride event with almost no resources, no staff, and no time.
With new security legislation, reduced market capacity, and the usual pressures of running a free community event, the challenges were immense. But the team pulled it off with grit, humour and sheer determination.
Chris, who hosted the event, describes it as “a testament to what community can do when it refuses to give up.”
The day featured Welsh drag icons including Heidi Heights, Venus Flytrap, Shay With a C, and Catherine Feelings, alongside a Beyoncé tribute, a Kylie tribute, and an Amy Winehouse performer so uncanny that Chris kept accidentally calling her “Amy.”
Behind the scenes, the performers were just as impressive — warm, professional, and genuinely lovely. The Amy Winehouse tribute in particular left a lasting impression, both on stage and off.
Barry Pride was a reminder that Pride is not just a party — it’s a community effort, a political act, and a celebration of resilience.
Rocky Horror: Cardiff’s Annual Rite of Passage
Somewhere between TEDx and Pride, the pair squeezed in a trip to the New Theatre for Rocky Horror — a show that never fails to bring out Cardiff’s most eclectic crowd.
Trench coats hiding fishnets, grandparents with their grandkids, theatre staff in coded costumes, and a teenage girl experiencing the show for the first time — confused, delighted, and eventually fully committed to the chaos.
Chris also attended a Rocky Horror photo call in a deconsecrated church, meeting the actors playing Brad, Janet and Magenta. Surreal? Yes. Iconic? Absolutely.
Waitress at the Wales Millennium Centre
The week also included a trip to see Waitress, starring Carrie Hope Fletcher and Sandra Marvin. Jak adored it — describing it as “a Hallmark movie as a musical” — while Chris… fell asleep, but only for a minute.
Not because of the show, he insists, but because he had been running two major events, attending multiple press nights, and generally living the life of a man who desperately needs a nap.
The audience, however, loved it — and Carrie Hope Fletcher proved once again why she can pack a theatre.
The Annwn Prize: Wales Leads the Future of Immersive Art
The Wales Millennium Centre is currently hosting the Annwn Prize, a groundbreaking award celebrating VR and immersive storytelling. With four finalists presenting work across the building, the prize represents a major step forward for Wales as a leader in digital and immersive arts.
The prize — reportedly around £40,000 — is one of the largest of its kind, and the ceremony will take place in the Donald Gordon Theatre.
Chris and Jak will be attending, and Chris is already predicting that VR will soon become part of mainstream theatre — perhaps even replacing the old binoculars in the seats with VR headsets.
Fio Performance at Grange Pavilion
Jak is attending a new performance by Fio, though he has no idea what it is because Chris simply wrote “Fio performance” in his calendar with no context.
It’s giving “mysterious arts kidnapping,” but in a fun way.
Q&A: When Mentoring Goes Wrong
This week’s listener question comes from an artist whose mentee has begun using their contacts, approaching their galleries, and even taking work from them — all without permission.
Chris and Jak offer grounded, compassionate advice:
Step back slowly
Protect your career
Set boundaries
Shift the relationship from mentoring to friendship
Recommend another mentor if needed
Remember: people who shortcut their way in rarely last
It’s a situation many creatives will recognise — and the podcast handles it with honesty and empathy.
A Week That Defines Welsh Arts
This episode of Pain in the Arts is a perfect snapshot of what makes the Welsh creative sector so special:
Big ideas on big stages
Grassroots resilience
Queer joy
Community spirit
Theatre that refuses to age
Pride that refuses to quit
And two exhausted creatives trying to hold it all together with humour and honesty
It’s messy, heartfelt, political, joyful, and deeply human — everything Welsh arts should be.
If you want to understand the creative heartbeat of Wales, this episode is essential listening.